


Frost and Flower

by Tellurion



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Arranged Marriage, F/M, M/M, Past Child Abuse, Past Sexual Abuse, Rape/Non-con Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-18
Updated: 2018-02-17
Packaged: 2019-03-20 15:14:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13720380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tellurion/pseuds/Tellurion
Summary: For hundreds of years, Loki had known his purpose, had known why his father claimed him - to marry the heir to the throne of Asgard, Hela Odinsdottir. Small of stature but strong in seiðr, Laufey knew no normal giant could marry Odin’s Executioner - but a runt with strong magic might tempt them, with the promise of stronger offspring and a means of keeping Jotunheim at heel. It was far from his desire, but he prepared to face the prospect of this union, hoping to turn it to his favor.When the day actually arrived, it was the work of only a few moments for his future to fall to pieces.





	Frost and Flower

Loki held on to his dam Fárbauti’s hand as long as he could as they approached the doors to the Asgardian throne room. The doors were still shut when their party came to a halt, allowing Fárbauti to press a final kiss to the top of Loki’s head before stepping back to stand beside Laufey. Keeping his eyes fixed forward, Loki could hear his father scoff at the gesture. Though the hall was not cold in the slightest, he clenched the white fur robe he was wearing closer to him and blinked so that the kohl that rimmed his eyes would not run. His hair had been oiled and braided into a singled thick rope that lay across one shoulder and he had to still himself from twisting the end like a nervous child. With a great creak, the Einherjar pushed the doors open and Loki moved forward, flanked to the side by his brothers and followed behind by his parents, more guards, and various Jotnar dignitaries who had been selected for the trip.

The path to the throne seemed to stretch for ages and as he walked the length of it, Loki could feel hundreds pairs of eyes upon him. He did not spare a glance at them, however; instead he fixed his gaze on the three people waiting at the end who represented his future. To the left was Frigga, the queen, a Vanir woman with amber-brown curls falling in waves down her brocade dress. In the center stood Odin, his one-eyed, implacable gaze as fixed as Loki’s. And then to Odin’s right was the woman he’d come to be presented to, clad in black and emerald, hammer on her lap, lips twisted into a sneer. Hela, first-born, heir to the throne, called the Goddess of Death by those she met on the battlefield.

Though the hall seemed long, the walk down it was over all too quickly. He was before the throne in all its golden splendor. Above the dais was a mural, slowly moving, displaying Asgard’s many conquests, gold and blood in a dome above their heads. Hela in particular stood out - riding her direwolf, tearing through fields of enemies, raising her hammer in triumph. Knowing what was expected of him, Loki knelt before the trio. “All-Father,” he said with a respectful nod. “Queen Frigga. Lady Hela.”

“May I give to you my first-born, Loki of Jotunheim,” Laufey’s voice rang out behind him.

“This is the little beast I’m intended to marry?” Hela’s drawl broke in before anyone else could speak and it was as though a ball of ice had been dropped into the pit of his stomach, heavy and cold. Loki felt his hands clench as a murmur swept through both courts. He kept them hidden beneath his furred cloak, focusing on the pain of nails biting into his palm to distract him from the reply he wanted to make.

“Daughter.” Odin’s voice carried a heavy warning. “You may rise, Loki.”

Standing, Loki did all he could to school his features, but Hela smirked.

“Are you going to take offense at that, creature?” She sauntered off of the dais and walked around him, looking at him as though she were judging a head of cattle. “When even your own people do not want you?” She made a casual gesture towards Laufey with the hammer and the murmurs grew to a swell again. “It’s clear you have no want of him as your heir, taking your throne. Did you think I was going to be content with your leavings?”

Loki turned to see Laufey’s gaze was murderous. “What game is this, All-Father?” He bit out. “You carry on a charade for centuries only to shame us? You gave your word to cease the fighting that there would be a marriage!”

Hela laughed. “He was generous with you. We could have killed you all where you stood.” The last was spoken in a lower voice, punctuated by the thump of her hammer in her palm. Beneath his heavy fur robe, a shudder ran through him. Even with her reputation, he did not think she would violate guest-right - but then perhaps he had underestimated the depth of her malice. The whisperings in the hall gave way to a tense silence until there was a clangor from the throne as Odin slammed down Gungnir.

“That is enough. Hela. We have made a promise and it will be honored,” he spoke in a voice heavy with warning.

“I have had enough of this charade.” She whirled on Odin. “ _You_ made a promise,” she snapped, coming closer to the throne. “I would have pressed our advantage, taken the entire planet and burned it to ash! Instead you made _peace_ and swore me to a deformed child behind my back? I had hoped time would prove it merely a jest, a deception to gain their obedience, but it seems you have only grown more foolish with age.”

“Know your place, daughter,” Odin spoke again and Loki saw that his grip on Gungnir was tightening.

“My place,” she spoke slowly, “is at the head of my legions.”

She drew up to the throne slowly and stood face to face with Odin, silence growing again until it was broken one more, this time by softer footfalls coming down from the throne.

“Laufey-King.” Frigga respectfully bowed her head. “We vowed to you a marriage and Asgard does not break her promises. However, Hela is not the only child of Odin.” She turned to look towards the standoff between father and daughter. “If it please you, we can make the match between your son and mine, Odin’s second born, Thor.”

 At that, Hela burst out laughing. “Yes, if it will please your silly notion of honor to these savages, marry Thor off to him.” She looked at Loki with a malicious grin. “You have a cunt too, don’t you? Thor’s a bit of a dullard, but he can surely figure out whatever you have down there.” She wheeled back around to Odin. “It seems the problem has been resolved.” With that, she stepped past the All-Father, head high, dark hair flowing behind her.

 “We will discuss this first, All-Father!” Laufey reached out and yanked Loki back, pushing him in the direction of Fárbauti. “You promised me that Loki would be wed to your heir and in time be consort to the throne, not wasted on some half-forgotten second son.”

“Aye, I did. And you will not be without recompense.” He made a dismissive motion and the hall began to clear of the Aesir nobility, leaning into each other and whispering, making gestures to the corridor where Hela had disappeared.

“Come, child.” He heard a whisper in his ear and looked up to see Fárbauti. His mother squeezed his shoulder. “Go with your brothers. You have played your role well, but for now there is no more that you can do.” Then he passed him to fall into step behind Laufey.

“See to the guests,” Odin ordered a servant. “Show those staying behind to rooms for the evening. The others will join me in the map chamber.” He pivoted towards Frigga and, for the first time, Loki saw his expression soften as he kissed her hand. “You may bring this news to our son, my love.”

“This way.” Another soldier bright-clad in gold flanked Býleistr and Helblindi, both of them hovering close to Loki as though they could guard him against all of Asgard. Fárbauti and the many courtiers and counselors that had come with them trained after Laufey and followed Odin past the throne and through another door on the end. Loki was lead back the same way he’d came but he managed to give the throne room a final look before he left, empty and shining and still, as though it had not born witness to the wreck of his future.

Then they were through the door and it was shut behind them, closing like the sound of a thunderclap.

 

* * *

 

The walk from the throne room felt infinitely longer than even their trek down the Bifrost and into the city had. Loki’s feet seemed as though they were leaden, dragging him down - something he only partially attributed to the boots he’d worn with the rest of his raiment. They were lead to another wing of the castle and shown to an antechamber that branched off into several rooms. After the guards had left them, Loki peered into each of them before hanging his thick cloak on the back of a chair. It sat next to a heavy table carved with scenes of battle, with a bowl of fresh fruit sitting in the middle. Idly he wondered if they’d planned for them or if the bounty in Asgard was such that it was no matter to keep quarters with fresh fruits for the taking. Across the room, Býleistr leaned against a wall and Helblindi slumped to the floor. For a long moment, all of them were silent, until Helblindi finally shrugged.

“That’s that, I suppose. On the bright side, you won’t have to marry her. She seems like a dreadful bitch. Ow!” He looked up at Býleistr who had kicked him and was glaring down. “What in the name of Ymir’s frosty tits was that for?”

“Shut your fool mouth. We are not at home and you’ve no idea who is listening and watching.” He looked over to Loki. “Do we?”

Loki sat back into the chair and reach for a piece of fruit, turning over in his hand. He rubbed a thumb along the slightly fuzzy flesh and shook his head. “I have done what I can with my seiðr. But Býleistr is right. We cannot afford to give offense. Better to err on the side of caution. Especially given how eager she seems to be to kill us all.” He bit into the fruit and felt his jaw work with slow, deliberate bites. Another time he might have enjoyed the cool, sweet flesh of the drupe, but every sense he had seemed dulled.

“I am glad our dam is with us at least,” Býleistr sighed. “He will prevent the worst of father’s reaction to this.”

Loki tore into the fruit, down to the stone. “And what of you? You are taking this rather calmly.” He reached across the table for a bunch of grapes and plucked them one by one. “You realize that if I am not to marry Hela, that leaves me still in line for the throne. Whereas a marriage to Hela meant I would be in Asgard and your path would be clear.”

“Perhaps.” He tilted his head back against the wall, his horns nearly scraping the wooden arches on the ceiling. “We do not yet know what arrangement our father and Odin will strike. If any arrangement is agreed upon at all.” He looked at Loki, who was busying his hands ripping the skin off of the grapes before finally eating them. “Perhaps I’m more worried about the fact that you will still be in Jotunheim ready to trick or insult anybody you’ve perceived to slight you and expecting me to come to your defense.” He smiled as he spoke and for the first time since he’d set foot on the Bifrost, Loki smiled as well.

“I’m sure the court will be dreadfully upset to not be rid of me, especially if I am to be the heir.” He reclined back and ran a finger along the table’s twisted, graphic carvings. “I for one am already disappointed at the loss of getting to live in a land where I can use all of the furniture comfortably without needing magic or looking a fool simply trying to sit down.” He finished the grapes and slid off the chair, walking to a sideboard where a pitcher and basin of water sat. “I would not be uneasy if I were you, however. I doubt father would name me heir regardless.” Pouring water into the basin, he rinsed away the stickiness of the fruit he’d been eating, but paused to look at the painted images on the side of the ceramic vessels. “The subjugation of the forges of Nidavellir. Lovely.”

“I wouldn’t want to live here,” Helblindi huffed, stretching out his arms. “Everything is too small. They insist upon wearing shoes. The air smells strangely. I shall be glad to get back to Jotunheim, whoever is named heir to the throne.”

“It’s certainly not going to be you, particularly with that degree of tact,” Býleistr scolded and Helblindi slid further away from him. “We brought you along to learn how to behave as a prince of our realm, not to start an incident with your loose tongue. Remember that.”

“Perhaps I’ll go out tonight amongst the Asgardian commonfolk and truly start an incident with my loose tongue.” He he stuck out his dark blue tongue and waggled it lasciviously. Loki was unable to help laughing as Býleistr rolled his eyes. “I can report back to you so that you’ll know better how to make your marriage happy.”

“If you get yourself killed, it will be your own fault,” the elder snapped.

“Don’t be so harsh with him, By. I think this is the first time I’ve laughed so well in many days.” Loki leaned on the sideboard and gazed at his two younger brothers, his mouth creased in amusement.

A knock came at the door and the smile quickly evaporated as Loki re-buttoned the light armor he’d worn. Býleistr straightened and Helblindi scrambled to his feet as a guard entered the room and made a bow.

“Your highnesses. The Queen Frigga requests that you join her and the Prince Thor for dinner in her private gardens this evening as negotiations seem likely to go long. As they may be some time yet, there will be no meal served in the main hall. Though if you are tired from your day, she has said you may take your meal in your chambers.”

Loki glanced over at his brothers. “Tell the Queen we accept her gracious hospitality and that the three of us will be glad to join her and the prince. We will be there directly.” The guard gave them a second bow and left the room, upon which Loki exhaled. “Get ready. And do try to behave yourself, Helblindi.”

“No promises,” he winked as Býleistr yanked a horn.

Picking up his cloak again, Loki smiled as they pushed and shoved, his own hands twisting the ends of his braid as he watched.

 

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> My first fan fic here, and my first in a long, long while. Critiques and feedback are most welcome!
> 
> Also, as a warning, this chapter was fairly innocuous but there will be some much darker content later on.


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